A Fascinating Memoir Sheds Light on Jewish Life in the 19th Century
New Book from Touro University Press Chronicles the Day-to-Day Life Experiences of a Shochet in Ukraine and Crimea
Touro University Press has just released a newly-translated autobiography, The Shochet: A Memoir of Jewish Life in Ukraine and Crimea, which promises to be a landmark addition to the field of Jewish and Eastern European history. This intriguing volume, authored by Pinkhes-Dov Goldenshteyn, and meticulously translated by Michoel Rotenfeld, associate director of libraries for Touro University, offers an eye-opening glimpse into late 19th- and early 20th-century Tsarist Russia through the life of a man whose story was, until recently, only known to a few Yiddish-speaking scholars.
Set against the turbulent backdrop of Ukraine and Crimea, Goldenshteyn's memoir chronicles his experiences growing up as an orphaned traditional Jew. But his story is more than a personal account; it is an expansive panorama of an era. The narrative is a mosaic of vivid characters and scenarios—tales of communal life (including encounters with prominent Hasidic Rebbes and rabbis), persecution and poverty, familial bonds, religious practices, social classes and local politics.
Rotenfeld was fascinated by the original Yiddish memoir from the moment he began to read it. He says, “Apart from Goldenshteyn’s autobiography being a page-turner, a major part of its appeal to me is his detailed description of every aspect of traditional daily life. Also, this work is one of the very few 19th-century autobiographies to be written by a Jewish traditionalist from the poorer classes. Most of them were written by middle class followers of the Jewish Enlightenment Movement, who broke away from tradition and are either scathingly critical of traditional life or are overly nostalgic for a traditional way of life which was disappearing. Goldenshteyn’s account offers a fascinating glimpse into the past not obtained elsewhere.”
The Shochet offers a historical account that is rich in detail, making it an invaluable resource for scholars, historians and anyone interested in understanding the complexities of Eastern European life during this period.
Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter, university professor of Jewish History and Jewish Thought at Yeshiva University, comments: “This is a remarkable book, brimming with much information about East European traditional Jewish life in the second half of the 19th century… Special commendation goes to Michoel Rotenfeld for providing an excellent translation, comprehensive introduction and detailed notes for this volume which, for him, is clearly a labor of love. This book contains a treasure trove of information for the scholar and will provide hours of reading pleasure for the layman.”
Order The Shochet: A Memoir of Jewish Life in Ukraine and Crimea: Volume I on Academic Studies Press.
